Place of birth Davenport, Iowa Career end 1947 | College Minnesota Position Halfback Name George Franck Nominations Heisman Trophy | |
Date of birth (1918-09-23)September 23, 1918 Date of death January 19, 2011(2011-01-19) (aged 92) NFL draft 1941 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6 Role American football halfback Died January 19, 2011, Rock Island, Illinois, United States | ||
Place of death Rock Island, Illinois Education University of Minnesota | ||
Pro Football Championship game 1941
George Henning "Sonny" Franck (September 23, 1918 – January 19, 2011) was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was born in Davenport, Iowa and lived in Rock Island, Illinois. He played college football at the University of Minnesota and was drafted in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1941 NFL Draft. Franck was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
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War service
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Henning joined the United States Marines Corps and served as an infantry officer on Iwo Jima where he saw Notre Dame football star Jack Chevigny killed in action. He eventually became a fighter pilot, serving aboard USS Hornet.
Post-war
After the war, he continued to play with the Giants from 1945 to 1947. He eventually became a high school teacher and coach in Oklahoma City and then Rock Island High School in Illinois. He was a member of Broadway Presbyterian Church and enjoyed bowling. He was survived by Helen, his wife of 57 years.He bought and lived in the Shields House in Highland Park Historic District in Rock Island, IL.